Here's a gym selfie of me trying to flex my quad 😁
But for realz, I wanted to share an update on my current fitness/nutrition journey. Last fall I decided to do something kinda hippie-woo-woo and phase my nutrition and workouts around the seasons (seasons of the earth and the seasons of my body). Here's what that has looked like for me:
Winter: bump up calorie intake to above maintenance, focus on strength training. This matched my desire for carb heavy food and lack of interest in cardio when it's -40 degrees outside
Spring: cut all lifting and teach 3 group ex classes/week + train for marathon relay. In other words: CARDIO TO THE MAX. Lol - this wasn't the plan but it happened that way. I ended up leaning out without a lot of extra effort.
Summer: find a good balance of strength training and cardio, maintenance calorie intake/intuitive eating. Today was my first lifting sesh in a while and it felt really good. It feels really great to honor my body and the phases it goes through. I'm good with the cellulite on my thighs and the cushion on my booty. My energy levels are good, I'm sleeping well, my clothes fit comfortably, and I'm able to eat freely.
My goal: feel good in my skin, honor my body's needs, and enjoy life ✌💓

One day, many years ago, my heart closed.
I was hurt and disappointed by the hardships of the world. It seemed too difficult to bear.
So I started numbing my feelings and true nature.
Inevitably, my soul became silent.
No word or color or dream prevailed.
Hope vanished and grey settled.
Needless to say, I forgot who I was.
………………………………………………………..
But something within me remained alive and untouched, and thankfully I never stopped searching for that one thing that could bring me back to life.
To be honest, there was need of not one but many things to ignite my soul again, but eventually with patience, help, love and time I regained my inner strength.
Today I share this with the hope that you will remember the importance of never giving up on yourself.
We are all hurt, scared, confused, or a bit lost, one way or another.
But if you keep looking , follow you curiosity and simply keep moving you will eventually find yourself back on track again.
So, just in case you have forgotten…
Let me tell you…
There are universes within you.
There is kindness, love, colors and dreams.
There is freedom and birds, and rainbows.
There are words and masterpieces.
There is laughter and weirdness.
And only YOU can bring them to life.
With love,
Melissa
#gotademiel#dailyinspiration#beinspired#inspiration#believe#flow#colors#lovewatercolor#watercolor#watercolorlove#mixed media #loveforcolors#creativemom#intuitivepainting#intuitivecreation#intuition#watercolorjunkie#colorjunkie#adorecolors#handmade#original#madewithlove#believeinyourself#nevergiveup

“There is nothing more rare, more beautiful than a woman being unapologetically herself; comfortable in her own skin.”👏🏼
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I haven’t felt confident and comfortable in my own skin since I was a kid but let me tell you, getting back to that state of mind has been a journey.
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I remember being told that I needed to wear makeup, solely because of how that one person envisioned ‘beauty’. So, what did I do? I covered up my freckles with makeup. I genuinely hated the fact that I had them. I stopped leaving the house unless I had a full face of makeup on...even at the beach!😒
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It took me yeaaarsss to realize that how other people described ‘beauty’ wasn’t my concern. I don’t bring this up to get anyone’s sympathy because honestly, I don’t need or want it! I grew through it!🙂 But this is the world we live in. Society tells us how we should look and at some point or another we all think and see ourselves negatively because we don’t fit in that mold.🙈
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Let me tell you...you were NOT made to fit in societies box. Stop ✋🏼 holding yourself to societies standards and start seeing yourself the way that you are...BEAUTIFUL!💗💗💗

This is me...in the morning...no makeup..no filter, unapologetically me!
I used to be the girl who made a million and one excuses of why I can’t do something.
I’m too old
I’m too tired
It’s too late
It’s too early
It’s too hot
I don’t have enough money
I won’t be good at it
No one will like me
I’m the one who filled my head with all that BS. None of it was true. It was just ME being afraid to do something different, to go out and take a chance, to be put in an uncomfortable situation. I was the ONLY thing stopping myself. Then I realized I would turn the BS off. 😝😝😝 And I could do anything I wanted to because I was a WOMAN and I was strong and had a passion, a desire, a drive....to better myself and not care about what anyone else had to say or think. I was in control. You can be too! #dropthebs#beyourself#takecontrol#believeinyourself#beunstoppable#momsaretough#unbreakable#fitmom#fitat40#nofilterneeded#takechargeofyourlife#fitnessatanyage#propernutrition#positivevibes